Posted on 08/06/2010 12:20:06 PM PDT by jazusamo
MISSOULA, Mont. --(Ammoland.com)- The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is calling for immediate Congressional review and reform of the Endangered Species Act following a judge’s decision yesterday to reinstate full federal protection for gray wolves.
The Aug. 5 ruling means state wildlife agencies no longer have authority to manage skyrocketing wolf populations–even in areas where wolf predation is driving cow elk, moose and elk calf survival rates below thresholds needed to sustain herds for the future.
RMEF says the judge has opened a door for perhaps the greatest wildlife management disaster in America since the wanton destruction of bison herds over a century ago.
“When federal statutes and judges actually endorse the annihilation of big game herds, livestock, rural and sporting lifestyles–and possibly even compromise human safety–then clearly the Endangered Species Act as currently written has major flaws,” said David Allen, RMEF president and CEO.
“We have already begun contacting the Congressional delegations of Idaho, Montana and Wyoming to ask for an immediate review of this travesty–and reform of the legislation that enabled it.”
Allen pointed out an irony, if not an outright error, in the decision issued by U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy.
“Judge Molloy said wolves in the northern Rockies are a single population that cannot be segmented based on political boundaries. But he essentially did that very thing himself, because he considered only the wolf population within the U.S. There are 75,000-plus gray wolves across Canada, yet Judge Molloy stopped at the border and did not consider the entire Rocky Mountain population. The gray wolf is simply not an endangered species,” said Allen.
Animal rights groups who continue to litigate over wolves are “gaming the system for their own financial benefit,” he added, saying, “There are no elk in Iowa, but we are not suing folks to reintroduce them. This is simply a financial scam for the animal rights groups, and it’s all being paid for by the American taxpayer.”
Additionally, Allen urged the governors in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming to begin the process of formally implementing “the 10(j) rule” as provided within federal law. For all species reintroductions classified as a “nonessential, experimental population,” as is the case with gray wolves under the Endangered Species Act, the 10(j) rule allows states more flexibility to mitigate for unacceptable impacts on big game populations, livestock and domestic animals.
Ping!
Don’t hold your breath. And get ready to fight for the priveledge of hunting, or even setting foot on, “federal” land.
Yep, that’s what the enviro nazis are after and they’ve got friends in Washington and judges like this turkey Malloy.
judge Molloy
Reform ESA? Great idea, but it would take a Palin presidency, a 65-35 Senate and a 40-seat majority in the House.
I dealt with some of those “environmental” groups when working for New Mexico newspapers. They’re all about money and power.
It's easy money. They are the ones who show up for the hearings, those who hunt, fish and mine for recreation have real jobs and can't show up to testify, so the Judge rules for Big Enviro.
No doubt that it’s an uphill climb. If the RMEF can get sportsman and hunting groups to partner with them they’ll have a chance but it’ll take time and like you say, a more favorable Washington.
These dumb SOB’s couldn’t see this coming when they didn’t stand in the way of it long ago.
This sort of “unexpected consequences” of the actions of these “conservation” groups is why I’m no longer a member. I had given substantial money to the RMEF years ago.... never will again.
They’re useful idiots in the fullest sense of the term.
Yep, I’ve been a member for almost as long as they’ve been organized and I was ticked when they didn’t out and out take a stand against wolf reintroduction.
At least they’ve come around, they’ve done lots good things and can be an important part in fighting this wolf fiasco now.
I wonder if using the point that these are Canadian wolves imported from Canada, rather than native wolves, would be useful to a fair judge.
Not talking about Molloy but on appeal.
That’s a good point and one we seldom see mentioned in articles.
It surprises me there hasn’t been more made of it because as you know the Canadian Gray is much larger than the Timber Wolf and take down larger animals.
They are not native here so Molloy, Bangs, the USFWS and enviro nazis shouldn’t have a leg to stand on.
Of course Montana is in the 9th Circus so there’s probably not a lot of hope from them.
I leave soon on a long trip to Alaska, with a hunt from 9/11 to 9/21 included. Already have tags in hand for black bear, brown bear & wolf.
I wonder if this extends to Alaska?
If not, will it be legal to keep the hide?
F*&%ing government.
I’m almost certain this doesn’t affect Alaskan wolves, what say you George.
Good hunting, DG, sounds like a great trip.
Only a ruling to restore Endangered Species Act protections for the imported Canadian wolves throughout the three Northern Rocky Mountain states ...
not on Alaska nor even Washington, Oregon, North Dakota...yet.
IMHO
Thanks, George. I was almost certain of that but didn’t want to give DG the wrong info.
Ping to #15, DG.
“Only a ruling to restore Endangered Species Act protections for the imported Canadian wolves throughout the three Northern Rocky Mountain states. Only a ruling to restore Endangered Species Act protections for the imported Canadian wolves throughout the three Northern Rocky Mountain states ...”
Now there’s a ruling that makes absolutely no sense. A “species” endangered in some places enough to merit federal intervention but not in others.
Nothing about that ruling made any sense. Nor did the introduction of Canadian gray wolves into Idaho and Wyoming.
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